CPI-ML tea cell threatens protests

Tezpur, July 15: The Axom Sangrami Cha Sramik Sangha — the tea cell of the CPI (M-L) — has expressed strong resentment over the government’s alleged apathy towards various issues of the community.

The organisation today announced that it would gherao the CBI office in Guwahati on July 25, as the investigating agency did not show any interest in investigating the murder of CPI (M-L) leader Gangaram Koul.

The culprits have still not been arrested till date.

Koul, a CPI (M-L) member and a tea community leader, was hacked to death by unknown assailants at Panitola in Tinsukia district of Assam on March 25 last year.

The Assam government moved the Centre in April last year, seeking a CBI probe into the murder.

Koul, 43, was also the general secretary of the Sangha. He had contested elections from Chabua Assembly seat twice.

The organisation alleged that because of the failure of the agencies concerned, including the state government and the CBI, the real culprit was yet to be apprehended.

In a press statement, president and secretary of the organisation, Bibek Das and Jiten Tanti, said the new BJP government was planning to curtail the rights of the trade union.

Das said the common citizen, who was looking for good governance in the country, contributed to the victory of the BJP by exercising its franchise against the Congress party in the elections this year. “But its attitude towards trade union activities have not been positive,” he said.